Centre to unravel the mysteries of our amazing brain

Our understanding of the brain and its disorders will be boosted with the establishment of an international partnership.

The University of Queensland and Southern University of Science and Technology (SUSTech) in China will jointly investigate how our brain functions and the activity of neurons in health and disease.

Professor Pankaj Sah, Director of UQ’s Queensland Brain Institute (QBI), said the SUSTech-UQ Centre for Neuroscience and Neural Engineering would deliver a step change in understanding neuroscience through establishment of two collaborative nodes, one at UQ and one at SUSTech.

“The centre was officially launched on January 13 in Shenzhen and established to tackle the fundamental question of how the human brain operates,” Professor Sah said.

“We aim to develop new technologies and data analysis methods to unlock the mysteries of the human brain and allow rapid translation of research into improved treatments for disorders such as stroke.”

Professor Sah said the centre formalised the existing partnership between SUSTech and QBI, whose researchers had previously trained surgeons from Shenzhen in neuromodulation, a surgical technique that uses brain stimulation to treat neurological disorders such as Parkinson’s disease.

”I am delighted that we can join forces to harness the energy and expertise available at both institutions to generate knowledge about the brain that can be applied to diseases that affect people around the globe.”

Research programs at the centre will include protecting the brain following stroke and promoting recovery through stimulating neuron repair, and improving neuromodulation techniques to treat movement and neurological disorders.

UQ and SUSTech will contribute a total of A$1 million each over the next five years to the centre.

Media: QBI Communications, communications@qbi.uq.edu.au, +61 405 661 856.